The latest controversy hovering over liberal comedian Jimmy Kimmel is leaving a sour taste among those in ABC’s orbit.
Kimmel is under fire yet again, this time for a poorly-timed joke he made targeting President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump just two days before Saturday’s shocking assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) Dinner, where the Trumps and nearly the entire Cabinet were located.
On his own program, the late-night host depicted his own version of the WHCA Dinner where he emceed the annual gala, and leveled several jabs at both the president and first lady.
“Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” Kimmel said, sparking laughs from the liberal audience.
KIMMEL CALLS MELANIA TRUMP AN ‘EXPECTANT WIDOW’ BEFORE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS’ DINNER SHOOTING
Both President Trump and first lady Melania Trump issued statements calling for Kimmel’s firing from the Disney-owned network.
One ABC staffer took a swipe at its parent company for repeatedly being swept up in the comedian’s drama.
“The government should have zero say about who is on air,” the ABC staffer told Fox News Digital. “But if I were the head of a media company—news, sitcoms, whatever—I’d think long and hard about the country I wanted to mirror back to my viewers.”
“The ‘Ted Lasso’ model where people are fundamentally good and flawed and trying their best to build in their communities? Or the ‘House of Cards’ model where everyone is cruel, and you get ahead by not caring about anything except your team and its power,” they continued, adding such standards should also be applied to anyone occupying the Oval Office as well.
MELANIA TRUMP CALLS FOR ABC TO FIRE JIMMY KIMMEL OVER ‘HATEFUL AND VIOLENT RHETORIC’
An entertainment lawyer who represents ABC talent also knocked the House of Mouse.
“Disney has lost its way, its identification with wholesome, American values,” the lawyer said. “What does Kimmel have to do that affects his employer’s image, what would he have to say [to face consequences]?”
The lawyer added they were “embarrassed for Disney” after the fallout over Kimmel’s latest remarks.
“At some point, you’ve got to stand up and say, this is America. Are these values the ones you want to portray?” the lawyer told Fox News Digital.
It’s not just the Trumps and their supporters who are critical of Kimmel. Former Obama advisor David Axelrod called the joke “tasteless” and called on him to apologize.
Disney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital‘s requests for comment.
TRUMP WHITE HOUSE UNLOADS ON KIMMEL, CALLING HIM ‘DERANGED’ AND FOR HIM TO BE FIRED
Kimmel’s job appeared to have been in jeopardy last fall following explosive remarks he made following the assassination of conservative icon Charlie Kirk when he suggested that suspect Tyler Robinson was part of the “MAGA gang.”
The comment sparked outrage among conservatives, leading to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr to issue a veiled threat against Disney and ABC stations around the country owned by Nexstar and Sinclair Broadcast Group preempted “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
Amid the growing backlash, Disney announced that Kimmel would be off the air “indefinitely.” That in itself sparked further backlash from the left with hundreds of protesters gathered outside Disney’s offices in Burbank, California, demanding that the network return “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” to the air and thousands of canceled Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions. Less than a week later, Kimmel returned to air and he tearfully walked back his comments.
It is unclear whether Disney will maintain its support for Kimmel this time around. The Kirk controversy took place under CEO Bob Iger, who reportedly made the call to temporarily bench the host. Iger has since stepped down and handed the reins to Josh D’Amaro in March, marking his first major crisis as the company’s leader. However, ABC previously announced in December that Kimmel’s contract was extended through May 2027.
Cole Tomas Allen of Torrance, California, the 31-year-old accused of targeting Trump and top Cabinet officials Saturday, is facing three counts, including attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, transporting a firearm across state lines, and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Top DOJ officials said Monday that additional charges are expected, and he faces life imprisonment.
Fox News’ David Rutz contributed to this report.
